Apple tree named &#39;ZOUK 32&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinctive variety of a  Malus domestica  apple tree, named ‘ZOUK 32’ that is distinguished by its medium-sized, well feathered tree that is high yielding and is tolerant to apple scab caused by  Venturia inaequalis , is disclosed.

Latin name: Botanical classification: Malus domestica.

Varietal denomination: The varietal denomination of the claimed apple tree variety is ‘ZOUK 32’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Apples are an economically important crop. Accordingly, there exists a need to develop new varieties of apple tree with improved characteristics, such as disease resistance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to meet these needs, the present invention is directed to an improved variety of apple tree. In particular, the invention relates to a new and distinct variety of apple tree (Malus domestica), which has been denominated as ‘ZOUK 32’.

Apple tree variety ‘ZOUK 32’ was discovered in Sint-Truiden, Belgium as a hybrid from a controlled pollination cross of seed parent ‘Rubinstep’ (unpatented) and pollen parent ‘Nicoter’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,201). The original seedling of the new variety was first asexually propagated by T-budding and bench grafting onto ‘M9 T337’ (also known as ‘M9 NAKBT337’ or ‘M9’; unpatented) rootstock, ‘MM106’ (also known as ‘Malling-Merton 106’; unpatented) rootstock, and ‘MM111’ (also known as ‘Malling-Merton 111’; unpatented) rootstock in 2013 and subsequently planted in a nursery bed for tree production.

The original ‘ZOUK 32’ tree and its progeny have been observed growing in a plot located in Gorsem, Belgium. The new variety produces fruit that matures for commercial harvesting approximately at the end of September in the Haspengouw area in Belgium.

The ‘ZOUK 32’ apple tree variety is distinguished from other apple tree varieties by the following unique combination of characteristics: the new variety is a medium-sized, well feathered tree that is high yielding and is tolerant to apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis.

Asexual reproduction of the ‘ZOUK 32’ apple tree variety by T-budding and bench grafting onto ‘M9 T337’, ‘MM106’ and ‘MM111’ rootstocks in Sint-Truiden, Belgium shows that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions are true to type and are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The ‘ZOUK 32’ apple tree variety is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show fruit of the tree, as well as the flowers. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. However, the colors in the photographs may vary with lighting conditions and, therefore, color characteristics of this new variety should be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from the photographs alone. The photographs are from trees that are four years old.

FIG. 1 illustrates fruit of apple tree variety ‘ZOUK 32’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a tree of apple tree variety ‘ZOUK 32’ with fruit on the tree (colored side).

FIG. 3 illustrates flowers of apple tree variety ‘ZOUK 32’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘ZOUK 32’. The following botanical description of ‘ZOUK 32’ is based on observations of the originally identified tree, and asexually reproduced progeny, grown on ‘M9 T337’ rootstock in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. Referring more specifically to the details of the new and distinct variety of apple tree, unless otherwise stated, the following has been observed on trees that were four years of age growing on ‘M9 T337’ rootstock in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. Numbers provided are averages of data measured from the sampling trees.

Certain characteristics of this variety may change with changing environmental conditions (e.g., light, temperature, moisture, etc.), nutrient availability, or other factors. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average. Color descriptions and other terminology are used in accordance with their ordinary dictionary descriptions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All color references are from the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (Sixth Edition, 2015).

-   Tree:     -   -   Type.—Ramified (comparable to ‘Elstar’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.             6,450) and ‘Golden Delicious’ (unpatented)).         -   Habit.—Spreading (comparable to ‘Bramley's Seedling’             (unpatented) and ‘Jonagold’ (unpatented)).         -   Time of beginning of flowering.—Late to very late. In 2018             Sint-Truiden, Belgium, time of beginning of flowering was             April 16^(th).         -   Time of fruit eating maturity.—Medium (comparable to             ‘Elstar’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,450), ‘Gala’ (U.S. Plant             Pat. No. 3,637), and ‘Honeycrisp’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.             7,197)). In 2018 in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, time of fruit             eating maturity was September 6^(th).         -   Vigor.—Medium to weak (comparable to ‘Golden Delicious’             (unpatented)).         -   Overall shape.—Spreading.         -   Height.—Approximately 2.50 m.         -   Width.—Approximately 1.45 m.         -   Caliper.—Approximately 40 mm at 50 mm above the graft union.         -   Trunk bark texture.—Smooth with raised, prominent lenticels.         -   Trunk bark color.—About greyed-green (RHS 197D).         -   Patches or other markings.—No prominent spots or scales             evident.         -   Primary branches.—Stout; branches emerge at an angle of             approximately 60 to approximately 90 degrees with branches             higher in the tree emerging at approximately 60 degrees.             Measured trees are grown to a central leader system. The             typical and observed lateral branch length is 80 cm (first             primary branch above graft union and arising from main             stem).         -   Branch color.—One-year old branches are moderate brown (RHS             200C), while older branches are dark greyish yellowish brown             (RHS N199C).         -   Branch lenticels.—Low to medium density, approximately 5 per             square centimeter. Shape: Mostly oval. Color:             Yellowish-white (RHS 156D). Size: Approximately 1.2 mm long             by approximately 0.9 mm wide.         -   Internodes.—Average internode length is approximately 37.7             mm for a one-year old shoot.         -   Lenticel density on shoot.—5 lenticels per square centimeter             for a one-year old shoot.         -   Lenticel shape on shoot.—Mostly oval with a few of the             smaller ones having a round shape for a one-year-old shoot.         -   Lenticel size on shoot.—Approximately 1.2 mm long by             approximately 0.7 mm wide for a one-year-old shoot.         -   Bearing.—Annual.         -   Hardiness.—European Zone 8 hardy (comparable to ‘Royal Gala’             (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,121) and ‘Golden Delicious’             (unpatented)).         -   Disease resistance.—Tolerance to apple scab caused by             Venturia inaequalis. -   Leaves:     -   -   Texture.—Upper leaf surface: Leathery. Lower leaf surface:             Smooth.         -   Sheen.—Upper leaf surface: Glossy. Lower leaf surface: Not             glossy.         -   Margin.—Dentate to slightly crenate.         -   Tip surface.—Acute.         -   Stipules.—2 present on 90% of leaves. Where present,             opposite, slender.         -   Leaf color.—Upper leaf surface: Dark green (RHS 136A). Lower             leaf surface: Light yellowish green (RHS 136D).         -   Pubescence.—Upper leaf surface: Absent to very fine. Lower             leaf surface: Fine (light).         -   Leaf blade length.—113 mm.         -   Leaf blade width.—65 mm.         -   Leaf blade attitude in relation to the shoot.—Upwards.         -   Petiole length.—About 46 mm. -   Flower: -   General:     -   -   Size.—Between 44 and 52 mm in diameter, with an average of             48 mm.         -   Shape.—Ovoid to round.         -   Color.—Unopened bud: Strong purplish red (RHS 64C). Opened             bud: White (RHS NN155D) with streaks of pale purplish pink             (RHS 62D). -   Petals:     -   -   Numbers of petals per flower.—5.         -   Shape.—Ovate. Base: Acuminate. Apex: Rounded.         -   Arrangement.—Separated but overlapping.         -   Color.—Upper petal surface: White (RHS NN155D) with streaks             of pale purplish pink (RHS 62D). Lower petal surface: About             white (RHS N155D) to moderate purplish pink (RHS 62B). -   Sepals:     -   -   Number.—About 5 per flower.         -   Color.—Moderate yellow green (RHS 139C), tinged at the tip             with about red-purple (RHS 59A).         -   Arrangement.—Arranged separately. -   Pedicel/peduncle: Apples do not have branched inflorescences and     hence do not have pedicels. The flower stalk of an apple is the     peduncle.     -   -   Length.—25 mm.         -   Diameter.—1 mm.         -   Color.—Light yellow-green (RHS 145C). -   Stamen:     -   -   Number.—Approximately 20 per flower, arranged in a row             around the circumference of the receptacle.         -   Filament color.—Greenish white (RHS 155C).         -   Anthers.—About 20 per flower. Anther color: Pale yellow             green (RHS 4D). Unopened anther color: About yellow (RHS             5D).         -   Pollen color.—Light greenish yellow (RHS 4B).         -   Amount of pollen.—Moderate. -   Pollination requirements: Early flowering varieties, e.g.,     ‘Braeburn’ (unpatented), are preferred. Later flowering varieties,     e.g., ‘Granny Smith’ (unpatented) or ‘Golden Delicious’ unpatented),     will overlap sufficiently in flowering to enable pollination. -   Fragrance: Slight, apple-blossom-like. -   Bloom season: In 2016 in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, full bloom was on     the 1^(st) of May. -   Fruit: -   General: Measurements are the average of 10 typical ‘ZOUK 32’     apples.     -   -   Eye.—Erect divergent. Diameter: Between 10 and 12 mm.         -   Sepal color.—Moderate yellow green (RHS 139C) with downy             yellowish white (RHS 158C) hairs. -   Size: Medium to large.     -   -   Length.—Approximately 75.3 mm.         -   Width.—Approximately 72 mm. -   Shape: Globose-conical, slightly elongated; very slight lobes     observed at calyx end. The calyx is slightly open (0.5 mm to 1.5     mm—with an average of 1.0 mm for ten fruit).     -   -   Cavity.—Width: Approximately 28.6 mm. Depth: Approximately             10 mm.         -   Basin.—Shape: Concave. Width: Approximately 24.4 mm. Depth:             Approximately 12 mm. -   Fruit stem:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 20.5 mm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 2.5 mm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green (RHS 144B). -   Locules: 5 slightly open locules with seeds free of the carpel wall     at maturity. -   Fruit skin:     -   -   Tendency to crack.—Absent.         -   Thickness.—Medium.         -   Surface texture.—Glossy.         -   Lenticels.—Present, approximately 0.5 to approximately 1.0             mm in diameter, generally yellow-white in color (RHS 158A),             and at an average density of about 5 lenticels/cm².         -   Color.—General color effect: Vivid reddish orange (RHS 42A).             Ground color: At maturity, about brilliant yellow (RHS 14C).             Over color: About red (RHS 42A).         -   Russetting.—Slight amount inside stem cavity.         -   Bloom of the skin.—Moderate. -   Fruit flesh:     -   -   Flavor.—Mild, with a good balance between sweet and sour.         -   Brix.—Average approximately 15 Brix.         -   Juiciness.—Very juicy.         -   Color.—Pale yellow (RHS 8D).         -   Aroma.—Apple-like, moderate in intensity.         -   Firmness.—Firm. -   Core: While the calyx can be open in about 70 percent of fruit, the     calyx tube is closed and the core lines are defined.     -   -   Shape.—Round to slightly elongate.         -   Number of bundles.—Approximately 10 per fruit. -   Seed:     -   -   Number.—About 1 to 2 seeds per cell.         -   Shape.—Acute in shape.         -   Color.—Moderate brown (RHS 165A). -   Fruit production: First picking date in the 2017 season at     Sint-Truiden, Belgium, was about the 12^(th) of September. -   Storage: Fruit remains fresh at room temperature (approximately 20°     C.) for approximately 7 days, and can be stored up to approximately     six months in cold storage (about 1° C. or about 34° F.). -   Usage: Fresh eating.

COMPARISONS TO PARENTAL AND SIMILAR VARIETIES

The ‘ZOUK 32’ apple tree variety is distinguished from seed parent ‘Rubinstep’ by the following unique combination of characteristics: fruit of ‘ZOUK 32’ has a smoother skin and is less flat in shape than fruit of ‘Rubinstep’; and fruit of ‘ZOUK 32’ has more of a pink-red color than the more orange-red color of fruit of ‘Rubinstep’.

The ‘ZOUK 32’ apple tree variety is distinguished from pollen parent ‘Nicoter’ by the following unique combination of characteristics: ‘ZOUK 32’ matures approximately three weeks earlier (beginning of September) than does ‘Nicoter’ (3^(rd) week of September); ‘ZOUK 32’ is higher yielding than ‘Nicoter’; ‘ZOUK 32’ is less sensitive to frost than is ‘Nicoter’; and fruit of ‘ZOUK 32’ is more flat-globose in shape, while fruit of ‘Nicoter’ is short conical-globose in shape.

Table 1 below compares some of the characteristics of the ‘ZOUK 32’ apple tree variety with the similar apple tree varieties, ‘Gala 2013’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,978), ‘BL-14’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,867), and ‘Gala Schnico Red’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,577).

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘Gala 2013’ ‘BL-14’ ‘Gala Schnico Red’ ‘ZOUK 32’ Branch color Grey (RHS Grey-brown Greyish brown Dark greyish yellowish 201C) group 199A brown (RHS N199C) (scaffold branches) Number of 6 to 8 per square 14 per running N/A 5 per square centimeter lenticels on one centimeter cm of growth year old shoot Hardiness European Zone 6 USDA Zone 6b European Zone 8 European Zone 8 Petiole length 34 mm 28.5 mm 30 mm 46 mm Petal color Colour of upper Background Color (upper and Upper petal surface: surface, white color is white lower White (RHS NN155D) (RHS NN155C) (20%), surfaces) = white with streaks of pale with reddish overcolor both (CPVO/UPOV purplish pink (RHS shades red purple upper and Nr.19, Note 1) and 62D). Lower petal (RHS 64C); lower surfaces light pink (upper) surface: About white colour of lower is variable in (CPVO/UPOV (RHS N155D) to surface, white the red-purple Nr.19, Note 3); moderate purplish pink (RHS NN155B) group 62D and white (under) (RHS 62B) 63A (CPVO/UPOV Nr.19, Note 1) Fruit shape Globose Round conical Conical Globose-conical, slightly elongated Fruit skin color Background Wash under The hue of over General color effect: at harvest colour, red (RHS color from the colour with bloom Vivid reddish orange 53A); pattern of red group 47A, removed is purple (RHS 42A). Ground over-colour, solid stripe over red (CPVO/UPOV color: At maturity, flush; over colour color from the Nr.37, Note 4) about brilliant yellow of skin, red red group 46A (RHS 14C). Over color: purple (RHS About red (RHS 42A) 60A) Fruit flesh Medium to firm Crisp, firm 6,5-7 kg/cm2 Firm firmness (medium) Seed shape Oval elongated Mostly obtuse Elliptic Acute with occasional acute Seed color Brown greyed- From the Red brown Moderate brown orange (RHS greyed-orange (RHS 165A) 166A) group 177A 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of apple tree named ‘ZOUK 32’ as shown and described herein. 